How stress affects your body and what you can do about it

Stress is a state of emotional tension and is your body’s response to situations that put you under pressure. You may, therefore, experience it when you feel challenged, threatened or not in control. 

Here we’ll look at what causes stress, how it can affect your body, signs to watch out for and strategies to help you cope with stress. 

What causes stress?

Stress has many different causes ranging from unexpected shocks to illness and traumatic experiences. It can also be caused by situations that go on for long periods of time that cause you worry or uncertainty. New or exciting situations, such as getting married, expecting a baby or moving home can also trigger stress.

Stress can be caused by work-related situations and pressures, family relationships and responsibilities, financial difficulties, health problems and/or negative experiences. 

Consequently, it is normal to experience stress as part of life. However, it can be helpful to know how to recognise signs of stress so you can take steps to reduce your stress levels and ensure it has a less negative effect on your life and health. 

How stress affects your body

Stress can affect both your physical and mental wellbeing. While short-lived stress can help focus your mind and motivate you to meet certain goals, such as passing an exam or preparing well for a job interview, if stress becomes prolonged or out of control, it can have a negative effect on your life, your health and those around you.

When you are stressed, your body releases hormones in your brain as part of your “fight or flight” response.  This includes hormones such as cortisol, which triggers the release of sugar into your bloodstream and can increase the levels of fats called triglycerides.

Other stress hormones that are produced include adrenaline and noradrenaline, which increase your blood pressure and heart rate and can make you sweat. 

Together these hormones keep your body in a state of high alert, which is designed to protect you from threats. 

However, if you are persistently stressed, this prolonged state of high alert can prevent you from resting, relaxing and feeling at ease. This can negatively affect your physical health and over time can increase your risk of heart disease. 

Signs of stress

Signs of stress include tiredness, irritability, tearfulness, headaches, muscle tension, feeling distracted and having difficulty concentrating. 

Stress can also affect your memory and change your sleep patterns, whether that is reducing your quality of sleep or causing you to sleep excessively. 

It can affect your gut too causing a loss of appetite or overeating, nausea and/or indigestion. This is because of your gut–brain axis, that is, a two-way communication system that means changes in your brain due to stress can cause changes in your gut. 

As a consequence of these hormonal changes affecting your physical health, you may find that you no longer enjoy activities that you previously found relaxing or pleasurable. You can start to feel hopeless and joyless. 

In some cases, prolonged stress can lead to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety. 

How to manage stress

The first step to managing stress is recognising when you are stressed. Try to find a moment to reflect on how you’re feeling and why, and consider the signs of stress mentioned earlier.

Once you have recognised that you are stressed, you can take steps to support your physical and mental wellbeing so you can get your stress levels under control. 

Small steps can result in big changes over time, so rather than making big, dramatic changes, focus on small adjustments that will help you feel less overwhelmed and make it easier to manage your day-to-day tasks. 

Here are five strategies that involve small but significant steps that you can try:

1. Connect

Connecting with people around you, whether that is your friends and family, neighbours or wider community can enrich your daily life. What’s more, sharing your feelings with those whom you trust can also help you cope better with stressful situations. 

Connecting with people can be as simple as calling a friend for a chat, having a conversation with a neighbour or meeting up with family. 

2. Be active

Regular exercise, indoors or outdoors, at a pace and level that suits you causes the release of mood-enhancing hormones, namely endorphins. This helps combat stress while also helping your body stay fit and healthy. 

Exercise doesn’t have to involve playing sports; any activity that you enjoy which gets your heart rate up can help, such as dancing, running, walking or gardening. 

3. Take notice

Slowing down to look at your surroundings and notice small details such as sounds, smells, sights and feelings can help your body and mind calm down. Engaging in this type of mindfulness for two to three minutes every day can bring a sense of peace and relaxation.

4. Keep learning

When you’re stressed, your confidence and self-esteem can also be affected. Trying something new and challenging, such as a hobby you have always wanted to explore or an instrument you have always wanted to learn to play, can help boost your confidence and take your mind off the causes of your stress. 

5. Give

Helping others, whether that is a friend or a stranger, can bring a sense of wellbeing and enrichment. This may involve volunteering in your local community or offering some of your time to help a friend or neighbour. These small acts of kindness can help lift your mood. 

You can find more support and advice on how to manage stress from the UK Stress Management Society and the Mental Health Foundation.